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Archive for the ‘Endangered Animals’ Category

I recently did a talk for the Audubon Society on exotic animals. It was a great project for me and I learned a lot of things I never knew. Please enjoy.

A growing worldwide trade, fueled by a fascination with the rare and beautiful, often wreaks havoc on Florida’s native plants and animals. The exotic, dangerous, and illegal pet trade in the U.S. is worth billions of dollars. The intruders are exotic species — non-native plants and animals introduced into the country either intentionally or by accident. Invasive species are one of the leading threats to U.S. ecosystems and may cause devastating economic, environmental, and human impacts. The following 10 animal species are considered to be among America’s Least Wanted:

Africanized Honeybee

Asian Carp

Asian Longhorned Beetle

Brown Tree Snake

European Green Crab

European Starling

European Wild Boar

Nutria

Red Imported Fire Ant

Zebra Mussel

America has a love affair with exotic species, but unfortunately it has a dark side. Go down to Miami International Airport. It’s amazing what comes in on a daily basis from overseas.

Though the imports can start harmlessly as pretty plants or cool pets, far too many wind up in the wild, becoming a growing exotic menace that some say is the single biggest threat to the nation’s protected species.

Many scientists consider Florida ground zero in the invasion with more exotic imports arriving daily and more protected species at risk than anywhere else except Hawaii. Hundreds of nonnative species flourish in the wild.

Some wildlife professionals say that in a decade or two, the ecology of the state of Florida is not going to be what we’ve known all our lives. It’s going to be changed by all these exotic species.

People have long traded in goods such as seeds, plants and animals. But an explosion in global trade and Internet sales triggered a more rapid and prolific exchange. Overall, more than 50,000 species of plants, animals and microbes have been introduced to the United States.

A staggering number of (species) are being moved from disparate places to our lands, and sometimes waters, at a speed never before accomplished and it happens with little oversight.

That troubles conservation scientists who fear invasive species are threatening natural ecosystems. A plant or animal becomes “invasive” when it thrives and reproduces in new surroundings and harms native plants and animals, placing them at risk of extinction.

Most species brought to the United States are beneficial rather than invasive, including cattle and crops such as rice. But when exotics escape or are released into the wild and face no natural predators, they can cause major problems.

Florida, however, with up to 100,000 pythons roaming in the Everglades, is considered by some the poster child for “really creepy invaders.”

Dozens of other nonnative reptiles and amphibians thrive in the state’s temperate and subtropical climates.

Exotic armored catfish are most likely the result of escapes or releases from aquarium fish farms. In Florida, this species occupies waters adjacent to Everglades National Park and is considered a threat to the park. Males will dig out river banks to create burrows in which an attract female, where they lay and guard her eggs. In large numbers, burrows potentially destabilize the banks, leading to an increased rate of erosion. These fish seem to be spreading throughout the rest of the state.Over the years, the United States has introduced a large amount of wildlife and plant species from the continent of Asia, such as beetle insects. The primary reasoning for introducing these species include pest control — which is the case for the Asian beetle. However, some Asian beetle and plant species have become an invasive species in the United States since they do not have any natural predators to keep their populations from growing. These beetles have now expanded and decimated red bay trees around Jacksonville and the Palm Coast.These kinds of issues nationwide, leave nearly half the country’s 958 protected species at risk from competition by these intrusive exotics.

The invasive exotics cost the country more than $137 billion a year in damage and containment efforts. That’s one dollar for every $8 worth of food grown and nearly double what the nation spends annually on cancer treatment. Florida property owners and agencies spend more than $600 million a year.

Between diseases such as citrus canker, which killed off tons of citrus trees, weeds and the bugs that are killing forest plants and crops, the overall economic impact is very severe.

Conservation scientists say legislation and rule changes are urgently needed to limit the flow of invasive, exotic species, build a coordinated nationwide effort to determine the extent of the problem and repair the damage. The hope is to enlist others in this battle to contain and control exotics, including legislators who could funnel more money to combat the problem. The hope is also to convince backyard gardeners to plant natives and to stop owners of exotic pets from releasing them into the wild.

Progress toward a zealous national effort to control exotics has been slow, but the call for action took on new urgency after July 1, 2009. That’s when a Sumter County family’s pet Burmese python strangled a toddler. Officials say the python was improperly caged and the family didn’t have a permit.

The resulting nationwide headlines made threats posed by exotic animals a very major issue.

Florida is cracking down on the sale of Burmese pythons. The so-called ‘reptile bill’ (SB 318) disallows importing, selling, or swapping the giant snakes and seven other constrictor species as personal pets.

Proponents of exotic pet and plant ownership and some scientists fear the new legislation and rule changes might unfairly hinder trade, limit personal freedom, and create an underground black market that could make matters worse.

Scientists are working to develop ways to analyze which species could be most invasive and what economic and environmental problems they could cause. Knowing the flow of exotic invaders may be impossible to stop, they continue looking for ways to minimize impacts.

State and federal agencies and private landowners have achieved some successes with plants, pests and animals.

The Gambian rat is an African native that can grow to the size of a raccoon. A few rats were released in 2003, by a pet breeder in the Florida Keys. The rat is yet another threat to Florida’s fragile ecosystem and human life. Gambian rats eat almost anything, including the eggs of endangered birds, snails, crabs, seeds and endangered plant life.

Many people were surprised to learn that earlier this year, an Orlando man had brought a nonindigenous species of cockroach into his community to feed his reptile. This is a bad idea for a number of reasons, but it’s nothing new. There are so many people doing the same thing.

Killer bees, fire ants, termites, root weevils, insects that spread citrus greening, yellow fever mosquitoes, gypsy moths, screwworms, exotic catfish, eels, monitor lizards and venomous spiders are just a few introduced pests that no one in America ever expected to see in their backyards.

Yet pests still get in, and some get released into the environment. Recently, there was an orange-spotted roach imported allegedly without proper shipment papers. Importing any living, and certain dead animals into Florida requires state and/or federal government approval.

Imported insects or animals can spread and compete with, reduce or eliminate other species of wildlife. They can also facilitate the spread of human disease and severely impact our agricultural commodities and our environment.

Excessive cargo for the number of available inspectors, incorrect identification of pests and smuggling are all ways in which exotic pests enter the country.Imagine Florida without fire ants. Those who lived here before World War II can remember picnics and beaches, parking lots and baseball fields devoid of fire ants. Then somebody allowed an ant-infested shipment from South America to be delivered to Alabama. Fire-ant venom can cause life-threatening anaphylactic shock in some people.

Everyone needs to be careful when importing food, animals or dead plant materials from outside of America. Military personnel returning from other countries should inspect their packed items for any pests. Fresh foods and plant, insect or animal materials require a permit issued by state and/or federal authorities.

Many countries impose hefty fines for illegal importation of plant and animal materials. In the U.S., punishment can include forfeit of all illegal items to authorities and possibly fines and probation.

The Lacey Act, enacted in 1900 and amended several times since to combat trafficking in illegal plants and wildlife, is especially strict when it comes to importing plants. Many plants and insects are sold over the Internet without proper permits and documents. Fines can be in the tens of thousands of dollars, plus jail time.

Collectors of plant, insect and animal materials must insist on proper permits, must be sure that these documents have not been falsified and must retain the documents.

Even one exotic pest-infested item carelessly discarded can wreak havoc.

Piranha are fish that are only a foot long. They are the most ferocious fish in the world. Even the most formidable fish, the sharks or the barracudas, usually attack things smaller than themselves. But the piranhas habitually attack things much larger then themselves. Piranha should be considered potentially dangerous even though there is no record of attacks resulting in death by these fish on live humans. Reported injuries are from fishermen carelessly removing fish from the hook, or recovery of drowned victims who were later eaten by these fish. These fish are scavengers by nature. It is unlawful to keep piranha as pets in Florida, but people do it! It’s punishable by a maximum $1,000 fine and a year in prison. About 1 year ago a piranha were found in a retention pond in Florida. The authorities feel these piranha were pets.

Due to Florida’s prominence in the exotic pet trade, iguanas imported as pets have escaped, or been released, and are now established in Florida. This has created unique problems for Florida’s homeowners and businesses.

The Green Iguana may be brown, gray, black or dark green. The males turn orange when they are mating. Babies and juveniles are bright green, and adults have black bands on their sides and tails. The Common Green Iguana lives in trees, usually near water. You can spot them on the branches that hang above a pond, lake, canal or river. They will sun themselves on grassy slopes, tree trunks and limbs. They are excellent climbers and swimmers. They build burrows which can weaken waterside structures like embankments, cement seawalls and docks. Green Iguanas are herbivores and live on vegetation. They like to eat brightly colored flowers like hibiscus, orchids, and bougainvillea. Their poop is generous and they leave it on our pool decks, docks, sidewalks, and rooftops. Because they eat our plantings and poop in our yards, Florida neighborhoods are waging war with the Green Iguana.

If you leave iguanas alone, they will not approach you or threaten you or your pets. However, if you corner them, they may bite, scratch, or whip you with their tail in self-defense. Both males and females are territorial and will defend the trees they live in and the area around them–including your entire backyard. If you dispose of an iguana in your backyard, another will come to take its place. If you prefer not to share your yard with iguanas, it is best to iguana-proof your home rather than trying to kill off the animals one at a time.

The Cuban Knight Anole is often confused with the juvenile Common Green Iguana because they are the same shade of green. However, on close inspection, these lizards are quite dissimilar. The Knight Anole has a triangular head, and the tail is extra long. There are yellow slash markings on the body and the dewlap is pale pink.

Most of the Knight Anoles living and breeding in the wild are in the Miami area, but they have been reported around the state and as far south as Key West. They were imported by the pet trade, but these lizards do not make good pets.

Knight Anoles are carnivores. They eat mostly large insects and fruit, but will prey on frogs, small anoles and geckos, small birds, bird eggs and hatchlings. When cornered, these lizards stand their ground, inflicting a heartfelt bite in order to protect themselves. They have sharp teeth.

It is not easy to spot a Knight Anole because they live high up in the tops of trees, hidden in leafy canopy. You may see them sunning on tree trunks, clinging to the bark while facing the ground, or sneaking across phone lines from tree top to tree top. If you see one, do not approach or attempt to capture this lizard. Outside of the Miami area, you can report your sighting to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on their Nuisance Species Hotline.

The nine-banded armadillos are common here in Florida. They are not native to the state but were introduced here in the early 1900′s. The Spanish name armadillo, which means “little armored one”, originated from the Spanish conquistadores. They now live throughout the state and can be found wherever there is dense ground cover.

The nine-banded armadillo has been observed to travel, and get across a body of water, by two methods. The first method is the ability to float across by gulping air into their stomachs and intestines (Watson, 1989), and secondly if the body of water is shallow enough, the nine-banded armadillo is able to walk across the bottom by holding its breath for up to five minutes.

Armadillos are, to some degree, beneficial because they eat adult insects and larvae. But their feeding behavior also can cause problems for property owners and managers. When looking for insects in the soil, armadillos dig numerous holes in golf courses, lawns, flowerbeds, and gardens. These holes typically are 1-3 inches deep and 3-5 inches wide. They also uproot flowers and other ornamental plants. Armadillo burrows under driveways and patios can cause structural damage; and burrows in pastures can pose a potential hazard to livestock.

On the positive side, the nine-banded armadillo has become an important animal in the research of Hansen’s disease, also known as leprosy, which effects 4,000 individuals in the United States. At first it was thought that nine-banded armadillos weren’t able to procure leprosy due to their location. Eventually, people in Texas and in Louisiana were infected with the disease, which was later discovered that it was due to the extensive handling of nine-banded armadillos – racing armadillos, extracting meat, and making souvenirs from their shells (Wilson, 1997).

One last animal we are seeing in Florida is the Wild Boar. Feral hogs have nearly the highest reproductive rate of any large animal on Earth. First brought to North America by Spanish explorers to be used as domestic pigs, European wild boars have since formed feral populations that wreak havoc on the ecosystems they inhabit. These secretive, highly adaptive opportunists seek out and destroy native plant communities without regard for rare or endangered status. They have destroyed breeding sites and degraded key habitats of several endangered amphibians, and pose a serious threat to coastal nesting areas for marine turtles. Their ravenous consumption of food upon which other forest species depend has had a direct negative impact on native animals.

Florida is bound to suffer economic loss because of alien predators. There is no sure way to protect Florida visitors and tourists from the bees or pythons. Florida is known for its many outdoor attractions, popular recreation events, coastal beaches and miles of nature trails. As for protection from other animals, like the feral hogs, they are a menace across Florida. It’s not unusual to spot wild hogs near wooded areas while traveling the highway. Wilderness hikers have to travel with care and stay alert.

Florida is a retirement haven for seniors. Families with young children flock to central Florida all year ’round for the many outdoor attractions. South Florida is a tropical paradise. Northwest Florida offers some of the finest fishing in the world; visitors and private groups come in droves to rent charter boats and enjoy the white sandy beaches that make up the emerald coast. But is it safe to vacation in Florida? Is it safe to move to the sunshine state with so many invasive animal and plant species endangering native inhabitants and humans?

No one knows for sure how much damage the predator invasion will cause. Is the federal government doing all it can to stop the predator population explosion in Florida? Wildlife experts and many residents say no. The saga continues.

Do you care about animals? Would you like to find a new job, or need a job? Listening to the news I would think the economy is coming back, but not when I talk with a lot of people around the country. Making a living still seems to be a challenge for most. Many people are very unhappy doing the work they are doing everyday. They have passions and desires that are not being fulfilled. Others are out of work and say they want to find “anything” because they need the income.

This is the perfect time to evaluate what is really important to you, what your passions are AND help animals at the same time.

If you are out of work, or would like to do something else, this is the best time to open the doors for the kind of work YOU want to do. Do you know what you’re really passionate about? Most people have no idea. Don’t think in terms of income but what kinds of things get you really excited and leave you happy and fulfilled when you are finished. It could be ANYTHING:

1. Walking in the woods

2. Doing crossword puzzles

3. Meeting new people

4. Caring for animals

5. Gardening

6. Talking on the phone

7. Reading

8. Traveling…..the list goes on and on

Recently I’ve had a number of friends ask me to help them figure out what they should do, they are not happy doing what they are doing, or they got laid off and fear they won’t find a job in their industry.

If you know what you’re passionate about, you can use that passion to help animals and open doors for your next career. Yes, CAREER, not job. The animal organizations, and charities, around the country need help now, more than ever before. Funding has dried up so they can’t hire the people they need. They also can’t afford to buy the food and supplies needed to care for the animals. Everyday I get requests from these organizations for volunteers and donations.

Right now you are asking yourself, “How can helping an organization help me”? It can, in MANY ways. You meet new people who might open the door to your next position. You also get to do the things you are passionate about. It’s a great way to find out if it’s something you want to do for a living. If so, you can put the experience on your resume. Most people have only worked in the field they have been trained in, but that is not what they love doing.

Here are some ideas for you to think about:

1. Walking and caring for animals at a shelter (if you like being outside)

2. Help the staff with ideas about how to raise money and supplies (doing crossword puzzles)

3. Feeding baby animals or holding ones that are afraid (caring for animals)

4. Cleaning up and landscaping the facility (gardening)

5. Making calls for supplies, donations, volunteers, etc. (talking on the phone)

6. Research and help find new ideas that can benefit the organization (reading)

7. Animals and supplies need to be transported to other locations (traveling)

These are only a few ideas. I could go on for quite sometime. There are also a lot of animals that need to be fostered until a permanent home can be found. They can be cats, dogs, ferrets, iguanas, pigs, etc.

What kinds of animals do you like?

1. Tigers

2. Dogs

3. Cats

4. Birds

5. Horses

6. Monkeys

7. Deer

8. Pigs

There are organizations caring for any kind of animal you can think of, all over the country. All of them need help. You can Google the kind of animal you want to help with “rescue” or “shelter”, then your area. (Ex: ferret shelter Florida) You will most likely find something in your area. If not, call or email the ones that pop up. The animal community is very small and we all help each other the best we can.

I hope that this post will inspire people to find their true passion, and use their passion in a way that will fulfill them personally and help animals that have a lot of needs. At the very least, you will open doors by meeting other people who might know a company that needs a position filled with someone who has your qualifications.

The oil disaster in the Gulf is far from over. Even though it’s no longer in the news, there are a lot of environmentalists and experts in engineering, science, commerce, culture, socio-economic studies and research wanting to educate the public about solutions to sustainability issues.

Deltas and estuaries are among the most productive and the most threatened ecosystems on earth. As such, there is an unprecedented urgency for collaboration across deltaic regions of the world to share technology, develop intellectual capital and build knowledge about sustainable deltaic systems.

“The greatest tragedy that we face is not the oil spill itself, but our own willingness to believe that our wildlife and way of life is back to normal. This is a great disservice to our country, our people, and those who will be here long after we are gone”. Roger Ivens Defenders of the Coast

I want to bring more information to the pubic so people can feel empowered to do things in their own lives that will have a positive impact. Education and awareness is the key to opening these doors. On November 18th there will be an event in New Orleans. It is called, “Celebrating Critters and the Coast”. It will benefit two non-profit organizations on the front lines. They help the wildlife and companion animals affected from this situation.

Even if you can’t attend this very special event in New Orleans, you CAN be part of it. Go to our website homepage and click on “Celebrating Critters and the Coast” If you buy a ticket to the event, you will be entered into the contest to win a 1 week stay in Costa Rica or Steamboat Springs. You pick the one you want. They sleep 6-8 people and valued at $3500.

You could WIN 1 WEEKEND at Clear Creek Ranch in the North Carolina Mountains & HELP WILDLIFE. There are so many creatures that are still dying from the oil that has been dispersed into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. There are so many political issues involved and it is impacting the lives of so much wildlife.

I am raising money for the wildlife. Go to my HOMEPAGE and you will see the link “Wildlife Donations”. If you donate,you have the potential to win a weekend at Clear Creek Ranch in the beautiful North Carolina Mountains. Please pass this on to the people in your database and social sites.

There will also be a conference in New Orleans Aug. 7th & 8th. Details can be found on their website at www.humanela.org under their BP oil spill link.

The following agencies and departments will be providing speakers:

The US Coast Guard (will talk on their role as incident commander for this oil spill)

The Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (will talk on their role in helping marine mammals and sea turtles)

The Louisiana Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries (will talk on their role in capturing oiled birds)

local wildlife experts

British Petroleum (will talk on whatever they choose to share – they have been rather uncooperative (go figure!)

The first day of the conference will be divided into three sessions:

brief presentation by each speaker

panel discussion with answers taken from audience

strategy-building session facilitated by Paul Berry, former CEO of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (audience will explore new ideas and more effective means of helping affective wildlife)

Animal Connection will be hosting an event on August 1, 2010 to help the wildlife affected by the oil disaster. It will be at the Hyatt Regency in Sarasota Florida from 5-9pm. The fee to get in will be $20 donation. Kristy and Lindsey Landers will provide their band for entertainment. They play at all of the big parties for Hugh Hefner, PETA and other well know venues. People who attend the event will have their name placed on the “wildlife” page of my website specifically for this event. Even if you send in your donation, your name will be placed on the site.

Yesterday someone said my event is not only for the wildlife but everything and everyone. They told me that the oil disaster affects the wildlife, impacts the seafood, the life of the fishermen and our economy as a whole. I NEVER thought of it that way. It is so true. That is the exact reason for my show, Animal Connection…we are all connected in many ways.

We have had a number of celebrities and professional athletes express interest in attending the event or helping to promote the event. I will have the names of the attendees in the next week.

This will be a wonderful event. Please check back next week for more specific information. We will also have a Paypal account set up so you can contribute if you would like.

I want to thank you again for your continued support of Animal Connection and the animals that don’t have a voice in this world.

I have been very discouraged watching the news and reading articles about the oil disaster. Every time I turn around I see, or hear, more negative. My goal is to empower people, not bring them down.I have been making calls and doing research to find ways that people can help with the oil disaster. The information I get varies from source to source. I got a call from Jeff Dorson today. He is the Executive Director for the Humane Society of Louisiana. He told me about a couple of groups that are actually qualified to help the wildlife in the Gulf. Even though we have a long way to go, there are people who are able to make positive changes, if we help them.

I found out that there is so much red tape when it comes to helping these creatures. You need the proper training, an organization has been approved and the list goes on. Otherwise, you are not allowed to do anything with the animals. In many ways that could be good. We want to be sure the people dealing with these animals know what they are doing. After all, this needs to improve the quality of life for the wildlife, not make it worse. There are people who have had experience but don’t have the specific training needed to be approved for this mission. Then there are those who are doing it for other reasons and it’s a good thing they are not allowed to be close to the wildlife.

Below are some wonderful organizations that could use your help. You can give your time as a volunteer, send money or make calls/ send emails to officials that have the authority to make the changes needed.

1. Operation Here to Help, is a joint effort launched by the Humane Society of Louisiana and Clearwater Wildlife Sanctuary to help wildlife adversely affected by the oil spill.Clearwater’s staff and volunteers are trained and certified wildlife rehabilitators who are working at the triage sites and administering direct aid to captured birds. They are providing logistical support by utilizing dozens of their volunteers who are transferring oiled birds directly from wildlife agents to the recovery centers. They’re also providing real-time information to state and federal agents by providing them with photos, notes, and coordinates. They are taking volunteers out on boats, contacting legislators, and more.

Operation Here to Help has staff and volunteers that have been out to the barrier islands in Barataria Bay, near Grand Isle, twice during the past several days. In the six total hours they spent surveying the area on boats, they spotted a mere three agents with nets with two large plastic dog carriers in the back of their boat. Meanwhile, they witnessed hundreds of oiled birds in distress. These trips made it clear to them that more aid is necessary to account for the significant number of birds currently in need of assistance.

That’s why they set up “Operation Here to Help”, a program of the Humane Society of Louisiana, with the goal of surveying the affected areas and providing coordinates to state and federal agencies. Although red tape still prevents them from handling oiled wildlife ourselves, They can provide critical information to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries so that they can most effectively mobilize their extremely limited manpower.

The facts are sobering. They were told by a wildlife agent that, for the entire Louisiana coastal area, there are a mere 100-150 officers licensed to rescue oiled wildlife, on shifts from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM and they do not work at night. These are incredibly inadequate numbers. Additionally, most of the barrier islands, including Cat and Four Pass Bayou, which are rookeries and home to tens of thousands of water birds, have already been contaminated with oil. The utilization of booms as buffers is extremely ineffective and dates back to the 1960’s. That is why their team wants to be “here to help” direct officers to areas where their work will have the most impact.

They have identified several ways that each of you can help them save more marine life and wildlife, whose lives hang in the balance. Their goal is to complement state and federal agencies in order to achieve the results they want. As one of Louisiana’s most dedicated humane organizations, they cannot sit back and let a handful of government workers and BP contractors respond with disgraceful inadequacy to the worst disaster in modern history to hit our precious wetlands. Here are their plans; they need your help to implement them:

Advocacy:

Call Robert Barham, Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife, and ask that he assign more agents to the capture of wildlife and ask him to ask for reinforcements from other states or other agencies if needed. Please use their reports from the front lines as evidence that much more help is needed. Call 1-225-765-2800. Remember that there are between 100-150 agents out in the entire Gulf Coast assigned to wildlife capture. These numbers are not sufficient for the task at hand. In the six hours they have spent surveying the areas on boats, they have only seen three agents with nets on one occasion. They had two large plastic dog carriers in the back of their boat, both empty. At the same time, they also saw hundreds of birds in distress.

Information Gathering:

They will be going out in chartered boats during the next several months to obtain first-hand information and photographic evidence of the mistreatment of marine life. If you would like to join them, please write an email to contact us at stopcruetly11@gmail.com. Cost of trip per person: $60.00 for a three-hour trip. They are currently scheduling one to two trips a week, out of Venice and Grand Isle.

Information Sharing:

They will be hosting a two-day conference in New Orleans at the end of July. They intend to invite representatives from BP, the Coast Guard, the White House, members of Congress or their staff, social justice groups, animal protection and environmental groups to attend, speak, and listen to one another with the intention of developing and implementing short- and long-term goals. They will send out additional announcements during the next several weeks. They plan on visiting the coastline on the second day as a group.

Fund-raising

Funds are needed to keep their chartered boats in the water, to underwrite their upcoming conference, and to help mobilize volunteers from around the country. Please be as generous as possible. Each of you can help by donating through their PayPal account at: http://www.humanela.org/bpoilspill.htm.

65% of those proceeds from their website link will go to Clearwater Wildlife Sanctuary, whose staff and volunteers are caring for the wildlife. They have pledged to support them. The remaining 35% will go to the logistical support their group is providing. You can also send them a donation by mail to: The Humane Society of Louisiana at P.O. Box 740321, New Orleans, LA 7017

We can’t afford to wait.The damage done by this spill demands that we ramp up our efforts as rapidly as possible.

They know we could be building 20 to 30 miles of reef a year, and promote hundreds of acres of seagrass and marsh recovery in the process. Within 3 to 5 years, they could complete 100 miles of oyster reef and at least 1,000 acres of seagrass and marsh habitat. That’s conservative — it’s possible, perhaps even likely, that a properly designed restoration could support 10,000 acres of seagrass and marsh.

Rebuilding such a system will have huge benefits beyond kick-starting the oil spill recovery:

If designed properly, oyster reefs will slow, and in many cases, halt the massive erosion that continues to carve into Alabama shorelines.

Reefs will help to filter the loose sediment that turns Mobile Bay a dark chocolate every time the wind blows.

Light-loving seagrasses return, tying down still more mud.

And in the quit eddies created by the reef, marshes will get a toe-hold and spread rapidly.

Best of all, re-creation of these reefs, seagrasses and marshes will result in an explosion of life. It won’t just be old timers who remember what it was like to go floundering in the seagrasses along the shores of Mobile Bay:

Harvest of white shrimp, once Mobile’s prized catch, will almost certainly rebound.

Crab habitat will increase dramatically.

Tens of thousands of young speckled trout, redfish, sheepshead and other Gulf game and food fish will once again find a place to grow and thrive.

Their Louisiana-based staff–already working on existing Coastal Louisiana restoration efforts before the spill–was deployed to help with the initial response. They have been joined by national staff, affiliates in the region and a growing network of volunteers.

They believe strongly they have an obligation to find out what is happening, share this information with the public and do everything they can to help wildlife survive this tragedy.

You can learn more about their “Search and Rescue”, how they are raising awareness and what they are saying on behalf of wildlife. Click here.

I want Friday’s to bring awareness to other organizations that are doing wonderful things for animals. I also want to empower people.Please pass this link on to bring awareness to these wonderful organizations, thanks!

1. A French Journalist contacted me. She wanted to know if I could send her true stories depicting peculiar relationships between a child and one or several wild animal(s).

Some examples:

* They’re going to tell the story of a little girl in South Africa looking after elephants with her parents in a sanctuary.

* Two little boys in India who protect snakes with their father and who are not scared to handle them. They’re “working” with their father at freeing the snakes they find in the cities to protect them.

They’re looking for a young girl or boy (aged under 15), fond of scuba diving, swimming with dolphins, whales…. In the end a child passionate in marine life. Any histories are welcomed!!

One important thing: Their aim is not to promote proximity between wild animals and humans. They DO NOT want promote people taming wild animals! They’re just looking for extraordinary stories relating a peculiar relationship between a child and an animal at a specific moment.

If you’ve heard about such stories you are welcome to contact Mélodie TISSOT directly.

The Board of Directors of The Wild Animal Orphanage in San Antonio, Texas, announces the existence of a financial, personnel, and management crisis at their sanctuary where more than 400 wild, exotic, and domestic animals reside. The sanctuary has been in operation for 24 years and the decline in contributions along with the recent discovery of severe personnel and management issues have created this crisis. Steps have been taken by the Board of Directors to resolve some of the problems including replacement of the CEO with an acting director, Mr. Jamie Cryer, a Texas businessman, who has willingly agreed to work without compensation to assure the feeding and care of the resident animals.

Funds are needed immediately to continue providing food and care for the lions, tiger, bears, wolves, cougars, primates, and other species that reside at the 2 sites of the WAO. Compassionate animal care-givers are still reporting to work to feed, clean, and care for the animals, however, there are no funds available for payroll and their pay is already several weeks behind. Six of the animal care-givers are temporarily working without compensation. The Board of Directors is reaching out to all caring individuals and humane organizations to please step up to the plate and help us take care of these 400 animals that have no one to depend on except generous people. To learn more and find ways you can help click here.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way its animals are treated.” — Mahatma Gandhi

3. Tragically, 50% of domestic violence victim’s delay seeking help for fear that an abuser will harm a pet… Animals are the silent victims of domestic violence. Most people treat pets as members of the family. Unfortunately, when it comes to domestic violence, pets are also deemed part of the family unit and forced to suffer in silence at the hands of abusers. Some studies estimate that:*50% of domestic violence victims delay seeking help out of concern that their pet may be harmed by the abuser.*88% of companion animals living in households where domestic violence occurs are routinely threatened, harmed or even killed. The ASPCA witnesses firsthand the connection between animal abuse and domestic violence. Just last month, police in Little Falls, NY, arrested Mark Beacraft, Jr., for assaulting a four-year-old child. The suspect has a history of violence—including a guilty plea in 2007 for murdering a neighborhood cat. He was sentenced to one year in a county jail but was later released under house arrest. This is unacceptable—and they need your help to keep criminals like Beacraft off the streets. The ASPCA works tirelessly to educate law enforcement and the public about the link between animal cruelty and domestic abuse and to lobby for stricter punishments for pet abusers. To help click here

4. May is National Arthritis Month

Just like humans, many dogs suffer from arthritis pain and inflammation as they age. Joints and bones naturally degenerate over time. Fortunately, arthritis can often be managed with the help of acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine, supplements and nutrition. Natural and alternative therapies are generally safe, effective and can be used in conjunction with western medicine.

If you are an acupuncturist interested in learning more about treating arthritis in dogs with TCM, and getting continuing education credits, click here.

5. Best known for the “I’m Tired of”bracelets, ITo introduced the No More Homeless Pets bracelet and now supports nine different animal causes. ITo will give half of every sale to Best Friends Animal Society to help support their efforts to dramatically reduce the number of homeless pets.

Best Friends Animal Society is guided by a simple philosophy: kindness to animals builds a better world for all of us. In the late 1980s when Best Friends was in its early days, roughly 17 million dogs and cats were being killed in shelters every year. Despite the commitment of shelter workers to the animals in their care, the conventional belief was that little could be done to lower that terrible number. Read more about this on their site by clicking here.

6.If you live inCalifornia, or will be visiting, you might want to attend the “Power and Action for the Animals” May 9thNewport Beach,CA.

I thought you might enjoy this story. Dogs are allowed on public transport in all of Europe, but generally with their master. This is even more interesting.

Here is a Canine commuter…. A wild dog waits on the platform!!

STRAY dogs are commuting to and from a city centre on underground trains in search of food scraps. The clever canines board the Tube each morning. After a hard day scavenging and begging on the streets, they hop back on the train and return to the suburbs where they spend the night.

Experts studying the dogs say they even work together to make sure they get off at the right stop after learning to judge the length of time they need to spend on the train…

The dogs choose the quietest carriages at the front and back of the train. They have also developed tactics to hustle humans into giving them more food on the streets of Moscow.

Scientists believe the phenomenon began after the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990s, and Russia’s new capitalists moved industrial complexes from the city centre to the suburbs. Dr. Andrei Poiarkov, of the Moscow Ecology and Evolution Institute, said: “These complexes were used by homeless dogs as shelters, so the dogs had to move together with their houses”.

Because the best scavenging for food is in the city centre, the dogs had to learn how to travel on the subway to get to the centre in the morning, and then back home in the evening, just like people.

Here is an experienced dog enjoying a nap on the underground. Dr. Poiarkov told how the dogs like to play during their daily commute. He said: “They jump on the train seconds before the doors shut, risking their tails getting jammed”. They do it for fun. Sometimes they fall asleep and get off at the wrong stop.

This dog is tired … A mutt naps on tube seat in Moscow.

The dogs have learned to use traffic lights to cross the road safely, said Dr. Poiarkov. They use cunning tactics to obtain tasty morsels of shawarma, a kebab-like snack popular in Moscow. They sneak up behind people eating shawarmas then bark loudly to shock them into dropping their food.

With children, the dogs play cute by putting their heads on youngsters’ knees and staring pleadingly into their eyes to win sympathy and scraps. Dr. Poiarkov added: “Dogs are surprisingly good psychologists”.

The Moscow mutts are not the first animals to use public transport. In 2006 a Jack Russell in Dunnington, North Yorks , began taking the bus to his local pub in search of sausages. Two years ago, passengers in Wolverhampton were stunned when a cat called Macavity started catching the 331 bus to a fish and chip shop.

I recently had a veterinarian in India contact me. He brought up the subject of using animals for the benefit of science. He wanted to get feedback from people around the world. This is a very controversial topic. On one side people are all for it. They have a family member that is very sick, or they are sick themselves. They would like to find a cure before they die. On the other hand there are people who say, why should lots of animals die trying to find a cure for humans? Aren’t animals living, caring, feeling creatures too? There is still another side, why not do the trials on humans? There are people who would not have a problem doing this as long as they were financially cared for and all related expenses were taken care of for them. The challenge, it’s illegal in the US. I’m not sure about other parts of the world.

So what is the answer?Here are a number of responses I have received from around the world. You can read more of these comments, andjoin a group that I started by clicking here.The group is for people who want to share their thoughts, ideas and stories about animal organizations, charities or issues. We also want to get ideas and feedback on things people can do to help. We are already inundated with the negative things going on in the world. Let’s come up with some solutions that people can implement in their own lives.

This new group is also for people in the film, TV, media industry. I want to find ways to spread the word on some of the wonderful solutions people come up with. The show, Animal Connection, will be a series bringing a lot of these things to the forefront to be shared around the world.

Here are some recent comments:

1. Kim: I am not a Dr. therefore my viewpoint is tilted and objectivity is lost. More and more research is showing us that animals are sentient beings and do feel pain and suffering.

That being said, if one of my children were suffering and there was a cure that required animal testing to determine it’s effect, then obviously my point of view would be altered…therein lies the dilemma.

2. Dr. Mishar: Definitely there are developments on certain area where animal models can be replaced by tissue culture. I think, it’s used wherever it can be. However, we are far from developing a model to replicate human biosystem which is a human being only.

Now the issue is with Animal drug development. We did a historical analysis to get a result that nearly 60% of animal drugs are translated from human pharmaceuticals. Faster the human drug development, faster the translation into veterinary products for animal’s ailments. Drugs like Vancomycin are also available for animals after successful launch for human beings. Animal pharma market is not as attractive as human pharma to invite heavy investment for new drug development. Mostly animal pharma gets benefited from human focused pharma innovations. Recently one drug named Carprofen with minimum side effect in human beings got translated for animal’s use also. This drug can actually reduce the side effect of earlier drugs and can reduce animal pain with minimal side effect.I being a vet and running a clinical research organization for animal’s well being, vouch for faster human drug development which can in turn help animal world.

Now the debate remains and I agree with you Kim and Vanessa, wherever substitute available, it has to be explored first before even thinking about animal trial. Just in case of unavailability of alternatives, don’t we think that a faster development of human drugs actually helps animals also? Please feel free to give your views and all type of perspectives.

3. Vanessa: You give a very interesting perspective on the matter. I don’t think that the fact that medication for animals can be developed sooner by animal testing should be a justifiable reason to do so.

I will admit that I do not know a lot about this and there are probably a lot of facts unknown to me however here are my thoughts. I am a mother of 7 children and blessed that all are in perfect health. However, if one of my children had a life threatening illness, I would want anything that could be done to save them to be looked at.

Please don’t get me wrong, I am very careful over the name brands I purchase –I make sure they are environmentally friendly and non-animal tested. I have also been a vegetarian for the past 13 years because I would never want another animal to die for me when I can easily substitute the meat. I also have 10 animals at home that I completely love and cherish.

So hypothetically speaking, if there was a lift threatening illness where the only way scientist knew how to create a cure is through animal testing, I can understand the reasoning. However, if you are talking about creating a medication for something more superficial such as medicine to make you look younger or to help someone’s seasonal allergies, then I can not see that as reason enough for it.

4. Rose:I also do not have a medical background, but my line of work does put me in touch with animals in the environment of energy healing and animal communication.

I respect the perspectives of everyone here, but have a slightly different one. Animals are sentient beings who feel many of the same emotions we do and feel physical pain. They understand and accept being part of the food chain as natural, however experimentation on animals is not natural, it is something that mankind has developed for personal benefit. I feel that animals have the right to decide if they wish to volunteer for experimentation just as humans do. This is a question of ethics, science has determined that animals think and feel, why should we subject them to terrible quality of life for our benefit? It my belief that we should put more money into finding ways to prevent many of the illnesses that are caused by how we treat our bodies, the earth, and our food sources rather than into drug research.

I do not have children, but I do have sisters, and a father who died of cancer. I still feel that experimentation on animals is wrong for any reason. Just because you can do something does not mean you should.

5. Carolyn:I understand and respect everyone’s reasoning, this is probably going to be a really interesting conversation!

Personally on both an intellectual and an emotional level I am strongly against the use of animals for testing, especially in the development of cosmetics. This is not only from an animal welfare point of view. I started in on this when I was very, very young. I was pretty rabidly anti-vivisection and testing purely for welfare reasons, and then went on to research more about the viability and “sense” of animal testing.

So far our conversation has focused on drug development/testing. It is my understanding that using animal tests to model drug effects can give dangerously misleading results. i.e. thalidomide.

There are many other ways in which animals are being used for medical research and development.

As far as I remember, nobody has yet talked about other uses of animals in medical/scientific research. As an example- the mouse who had an ear grown on his back.

Where are the boundaries for everyone else here?

If we remove the outright tortures of draize testing, toxicity testing, deliberately poisoning animals or creating tumours etc in animals, what views do all of you have on this issue?

Will an appropriately human based medium for testing and research etc ever be developed when world leaders are religiously and and/ or anthrocentrically obsessed to the point of banning stem cell research etc?

P.S Dr Mishrah I somehow had the idea that university students in the UK do sometimes “volunteer” (and sometimes get paid) to participate in drug/chemical trials. Is this correct?

Today there are believed to be fewer than 2,500 breeding adult Tigers left in the wild, and their numbers are declining. Tigers are listed as Endangered by the IUCN.

A friend of mine is getting ready to do a documentary about these Tigers and made me aware of this horrific practice.

The greatest threats to Tigers are habitat loss, poaching and lack of sufficient prey.

Once found across Asia, from Turkey to eastern Russia, over the past century Tigers have disappeared from south-west and central Asia, from Java and Bali in Indonesia and from large parts of South-east and East Asia.

Tigers have lost 93% of their historic range, and more than 40% of their range in the last decade. Much of the remaining habitat is becoming increasingly fragmented.

Today, Tigers are found only in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and VietNam, and possibly in North Korea.

Tigers, and numerous other species of endangered wild life, have to contend with poaching! Regardless of the tigers’ classification as a “Critically Endangered” species, the demand for its parts has drastically increased at an alarming rate since the end of the 20th Century.The tiger is primarily killed to supply underground black markets with its organs, pelts and bones. These items are highly regarded in eastern medicine, claiming to posse’s capabilities to heal all sorts of human illnesses and dysfunctions. In addition, this regal and magnificent symbol of nature’s beauty and power is hunted recreationally for sport/trophies, perceived fear, and just out-rite ignorance! Unfortunately, poaching is not isolated to any one subspecies or population. All tigers, no matter were they live, seem to be under attack!

The import and exportation of tiger parts is a sizable business. The penis sells for $6,000 (USD in 2008) which is used in a soup as an aphrodisiac. Dried white tiger penis is worth even more. It is probably the most expensive piece of animal material in the world and probably the reason for the deaths of many magnificent wild tigers. A large number of Chinese still believe that the body parts of animals can cure their ailments. And the doctors who practice traditional Chinese medicine haven’t yet decided to do what they do in the west, substitute animal parts for man made ingredients. Despite the widespread availability of aspirin, a highly effective pain killer and indeed many other pain killers, many Chinese prefer to ingest crushed tiger bone for pain relief.

This practice takes place in China, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia and the other Asian countries. In 1990, over 4,180 pounds of tiger bones were exported from Taiwan to Japan. Documented records from the Korean government state that over 8700 pounds of tiger bones were imported into South Koreas from Indonesia. In Hong Kong black markets, venders sell a pound of powdered tiger humorous bone sells for over $1700.

Other tiger body parts are believed to do the following to the person who consumes them:

1.Heart – gives strength and courage

2. Tail – body rub for skin problems

3. Bones – put in wine for rheumatism

4.Brains – body rub to cure acne

5.Eyes – turned into pills for epilepsy

6.Whiskers – cure for toothache

It is still cheaper to kill and export the body parts of a wild tiger than to farm them. At this rate how long will it take for their complete extinction in the wild? Keep in mind that all of these so-called treatments are completely unproven by science and have absolutely no real medical value.

How is man considered to be of superior intelligence compared to these animals when this happens?

If man has no respect for such a remarkable animal as the tiger, how can mankind be expected to protect all of the other animals, plants and wild places sharing the planet with us? One way to help, don’t purchase items made from animal parts or made by animals (elephant paintings).

Many organizations are in need of volunteers to help save these animals and educate the public. To learn more about the tigers and things you can do, go to these websites:

I want Friday’s to bring awareness to other organizations that are doing wonderful things for animals. If you have information you want to share, send me a paragraph on the topic with a link to the website, by 11am on Thursday. I will do this each Friday. Please pass this link on to bring awareness to these wonderful organizations, thanks!

Enjoy the 6 posts below:

1. A Love Story: A) Here, his wife is injured and the condition is fatal. She was hit by a car as she swooped low across the road.

B) Here he brought her food and attended to her with love and compassion.

C) He brought her food again but was shocked to find her dead. He tried to move her….a rarely-seen effort for swallows!

D) Aware that his sweetheart is dead and will never come back to him again,he cries with adoring love.

E) He stands beside her, saddened by her death.

F) Finally aware that she would never return to him, he stays beside her body with sadness and sorrow.

Millions of people cried after seeing this picture story inAmerica and Europe and even in India . It is said that thephotographer sold these pictures for a nominal fee to themost famous newspaper in France . All copies of that newspaper were sold out on the day these pictures were published.And many people think birds and animals don’t have a brain or feelings!!

2. On December 15th, 2009 the SPCA of Texas took custody of 26,000 exotic animals from US Global Exotics in the largest animal seizure in US history. USGE was a major distributor of exotic animals from wallabies to hamsters; warehousing them in horrific conditions until they could be brokered to stores, breeders and retailers. Thousands of reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, arachnids, and many other animals were cruelly confined in filthy conditions, literally crammed into cattle-feeding troughs, boxes, bags, and even pop bottles. They did not have food, water, or veterinary care. According to reports 500 animals a day were dying at USGE, ending up tossed in their dumpster.

Thanks to an undercover PETA investigation the animals were permanently awarded to the SPCA of Texas on Feb 1, 2010. Love or hate PETA you have to give them credit for this one. Critter Camp Exotic Pet Sanctuary was proud and honored to be selected as one of 30 rescues in the nation to receive some of the rescued animals from the US Global Exotics animal cruelty and neglect
case. Located in Northern Illinois Critter Camp board member Shary Stelter made the trip to Nashville, TN to meet up with the SPCA of TX transport on Superbowl Sunday where she was interviewed by Nashville Television station WSMV. See the 75 critters from USGE now calling Critter Camp Exotic Pet Sanctuary their home, including adorable Texas Spotted Ground Squirrels, short-tailed opossum , Roborovski hamsters and little white mice; and find links to more information on our Global Exotics Rescue Page:Click Here For More Information.

Critter Camp is the only exotic pet sanctuary of its kind in the U.S. giving a safe, healthy happy home to the elderly, sick, disabled and aggressive un-adoptable exotic pets that have nowhere else to go, currently caring for over 300 animals of 36 different species! Click Here to go to Their Website

3. Pepsi is funding grants in various categories until 2/28. Many Houston dogs are euthanized due to heartworms in a good economy, it is at a horrendous pace currently.

The drug to treat this is very expensive and each bottle only treats 22 lbs. This group is desperate to move up into the funded top ten. More information and pictures of saved dogs are on the site. This could help dogs at many rescue groups and shelter. People can vote every day, until the 28th. PLEASE, CLICK HERE to go to this site to vote today, and everyday until the 28th.

4. TAKE ACTION TODAY!!! 36,000 elephants were killed last year for their ivory. In 16 DAYS 111 tonnes of ivory will be traded at the CITIES* conference if certain countries have their way.

This will pretty much kick-start the ivory trade in a massive way meaning the end for tens or even hundreds of thousands of elephants.

5. A documentary was just completed. It’s about No Kill Pet Rescues and Shelters as well as the challenges they face. In November of 2008 a family adopted a new family member from the Animal Welfare Society and learned about the lack of awareness of the No Kill shelters. They took it upon themselves to finance and create a program about these shelters. They have pledged 60% of all profits to go to the AWS and if they can get great distribution, will split some for other local shelters in the Detroit area.

6. Dachshund Rescue of BucksCounty & NJ have on-line workshops. They are hosted by dachshund experts and are designed to help you have a long and happy relationship with your doxie of any size. There is a small donation fee charged for attendance with all proceeds donated to DRBC for the high medical fees incurred in the rescue and rehabilitation of our beloved breed.

This Month’s First Topic: Dental Disease and Your Dog
Those amazing toofers. How to keep them clean, bright and where they belong. Are doxies more prone to dental disease? How often should I clean my dogs teeth. How often should my vet clean my dogs teeth? Dental and cardiac disease,yes, they are related. Did you know there is anew vaccine to eliminate 4 out of 5 of the causes of tartar? You can find out all about it at this session.